Demonstrating the Progress of ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ’s First Venture Builder Cohort
On Wednesday 8 October at Sister ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ, The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) hosted the inaugural Venture Builder Demo Day.
11 student and graduate founders from across ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ gave compelling 4-minute pitches to an audience of investors, local ecosystem partners, stakeholders, and peers – demonstrating innovative solutions to real problems across diverse sectors.
They each developed their products and services on the ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Venture Builder – MEC's 12-week programme of structured support to help entrepreneurs test and validate their idea, build an MVP and gain real traction on their journey to market-readiness.
Mohamed Abbas (Venture Builder Manager, MEC) emphasised the importance of collaboration between organisations and individuals in supporting emerging young founders:
We know that innovation doesn’t happen in silos. The strength of ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ’s ecosystem lies in collaboration, first, between the different arms of the University that support entrepreneurship, and then with the wider network of accelerators, investors, corporates, and support organisations that make up our regional ecosystem. Together, we form a powerful pipeline that helps founders move from inspiration to full commercialisation.
After the pitches, startups and guests gathered for the showcase and networking – an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and build connections.
The ventures showcased were:
- SpinOr – Compact superconducting quantum computers.
- PeerMatch – Building the platform where humanity's next breakthrough begins.
- AquaMinds – AI-powered early warning system for fouling in water treatment plants.
- Vesta Capsules – Offering safe sleep anytime, anywhere through stackable, weatherproof, and modular pods inspired by Japanese capsule hotels.
- ARDHANN – AI-powered next-gen composite materials for Energy, Space and Defence.
- Gynomics – Harnessing computational biology and machine learning to drive predictive and preventative care in women's reproductive health.
- Ecotrace – Plug-and-play circularity SaaS to extend the lifecycle of consumer goods, improve customer experiences, and help manufacturers meet tightening regulations.
- Synkit – Wellness app helping employers support female staff through cycle-synced lifestyle.
- Waddle – Spontaneous small-group meetups for students seeking real-world connection.
- UniSights – Platform for Latin American schools to connect students with UK universities.
- TerraIQ – AI-powered farm optimisation platform for smallholder farms to unlock sustainability-linked revenue.
We would like to congratulate all the startups who participated in the Demo Day for reaching this key milestone and we are excited to follow their growth and continued success.
MEC is the University’s focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship, offering opportunities for all current students, recent graduates and staff. Our vision is to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovators and fosters startups, driving global impact.
You can find out more on our website . If you are interested in supporting our entrepreneurs with your expertise or investment, please get in touch with our team.